Reports issues today show that as many as 90,000 parents were fined a total of £5.6m in the last school year year for taking their children on holiday during term-time. That's a massive 267% increase on the figures for the previous year.
The bank Santander conducted the research for the 2014-15 school year under a freedom of information request and gathered responses from 129 local authorities in England and Wales.
In 2013 the government tightened up the rules in England, saying that headteachers could authorise absences during term-time only in "exceptional circumstances" such as funerals. Previously, head teachers had discretion to grant up to two weeks of absence for pupils with good attendance records.
Santander said its findings suggested parents were becoming more willing to risk a fine and take their children out of school "to avoid the school holiday price hikes".
At the moment local councils in England can issue a find of £60 per child for each unauthorised absence, and that rises to £120 if the parent does not pay within 21 days. If the increased fine isn't paid within 28 days parents can be prosecuted. If prosecuted, parents could be fined up to £2,500, receive a community order or be jailed for up to three months.
Although that is the current situation in England there was a high court ruling earlier this year in favour of a parent who refused to pay the fine imposed by the local authority after a term time holiday. However the council in question is expected to take the case to the supreme court, and the Department of Education responded at the time saying that the law would not change.
To further confuse things the situation in Scotland and Wales is different to that in England, and each local authority is in charge of applying it's own fines as it sees fit, so there seems a wide disparity between different regions.
What do you make of this huge increase in parents being fined for taking their children on term-time holidays? Does it simply reflect the change in the government's policy? Or does it show that more cash-strapped parents are willing to pay the fine rather than the hugely increased holiday prices in school holidays? Let us know in the comments or over on our Facebook page.
Took my daughter out of school last December to visit my 3 elder children from 1st marriage who all relocated to Australia and now live there permanently. It was the first time I and my daughter had seen my 2 sons / her brothers in over 4 years and a chance to see their new lives and spend a fabulous christmas with them all, staying with my eldest daughter and her partner. Even though her teacher told me it was such a great experience for us and she would only be missing making xmas decorations and school rundown to xmas, we were still fined. I was so tempted not to pay and take a stand re family importance but my husband just said to pay.
Do the teachers get fined for going on strike - they should as the children can't attend because of them.
Double standards.
we are planning to emigrate to australia so had to make a trip to finalise a few things. We took our 2 children out of school for 6 school days and have been fined. The trip was educational for them as we explored perth. They learnt so much from the trip. My kids are in reception class and yr 4. We took work with us too.
Their attendance is still over 95% after this trip.
However we have been fined. I have tried to contest it and have been told we have a strong case but it depends on the magistrate in court on the day.
Our head did say that it doesnt pay to be honest and we shouldve phoned in sick!
I wouldnt mind paying the dine if i knew it was consistent. Other families have taken 10days out of school just before us and havent had a fine. It is like a lottery. A very unfair one....
We have an extension of time period of which to pay the fine and i am hoping the law will change before the deadline is due...
Fine not dine!
paid the fine last year,waiting for the fine this year! Due to work commitments we can't have certain holidays (can't always please everyone) At the end of the day these are our kids and we will take them on holiday when we wish,after all seeing different cultures and how the rest of the world works is more educational in my eyes than sitting in a room watching a movie for 100% attendance.